United
States Air Force confirms a third mission for the X-37B robotic space
plane

The US Air Force confirms that they will once again launch its
mysterious X-37B spy plane back into the sky, but what it will
do there remains a mystery. For the third time ever, the Boeing-made
unmanned aircraft will be put into orbit.

The U.S. Marine Corps have begun test flights of the controversial
MV-22 Osprey at its air base in western Japan Friday morning,
local media reported. The flight trial kicked off at 9:24 a.m.
local time in the U.S. military training airspace codenamed R134
off the coast of Shimonoseki in Yamaguchi prefecture, the Asahi
Shimbun reported.

Eurocopter
delivery of four upgraded helicopters Tigre for deployment in Afghanistan

A significant milestone in Eurocopter’s Tiger support helicopter
program has been reached following the delivery of the first four
helicopters to be upgraded for deployment to Afghanistan. This
now leaves the German Army in possession of a complete batch of
ASGARD helicopters – a vital prerequisite if the Tiger is
to be deployed in theater by the end of the year.

United
States Air Force begins their F-35A
Lightning II Operational Utility Evaluation

United States Air Force officials begin their F-35A Lightning
II Operational Utility Evaluation Sept. 10, an instrumental step
in beginning Joint Strike Fighter pilot and maintenance training
for the service. Two 33rd Fighter Wing pilots at Eglin AFB, Fla.,
along with two Air Force test pilots, will conduct the review
expected to last approximately 65 days.

Rosoboronexport
of Russia and Poly Technologies of China signed a contract for Mi-171E
delivery

Rosoboronexport and Chinese company Poly Technologies, Inc. in
August signed a contract for delivery of 52 Mi-171E transport
helicopters to China in 2012-2014. The first eight Mi-171Es are
scheduled for delivery in 2012, with the rest slated for 2013
and 2014. The contracts follow on from agreements signed in 2009
by Russian Helicopters and Poly Technologies for delivery of 32
Mi-171Es to China.

Oman
accepts the first delivery of military transport aircraft C-130J Super
Hercules

The first C-130J Super Hercules for the Sultanate of Oman was
formally accepted at ceremonies, Aug. 30, at Lockheed Martin’s
Marietta facility. This is the first of three C-130Js on order
for Oman and is scheduled for delivery later this year.